ancient interpreters - Death has two meanings: the soul’s separation from the body and the soul’s pursuit of sin (marius victorinus); why does Paul call the devil the ruler of this world? Because virtually the whole of humanity surrendered to him. All are his voluntary and willing slaves (chrysostom); Christians are given grace to resist the prince of the power of the air (theodoret); Paul confesses here his past transgressions (jerome); The children of disobedience are subject to the devil by choice, however, and not by their created nature (marius victorinus).

contemporary interpreters - In first century mythology an audience would have little trouble imagining a demonic ruler. The practices of magic were directed at harnessing or warding off the influences of such powers. Some scholars think that Ephesians drew up its picture of the body of Christ filling the cosmos to prove to believers that such forces had no way to enter their lives. In the industrialized world of the 21st century, we do not typically describe the force that drives people to destructive behavior as independent powers. But we do know that people are subject to many formative influences that mask the reality of being "dead in sins." Our most obvious examples come from persons in programs to aid in their recovery from additions to drugs, alcohol, or gambling. They know the experience of being ruled by "powers."

[2]

• Paul divides a Christian’s life into two periods. Using the two-period format, describe your own faith journey-the before and the after-but using the realities of your own script and experiences.
• What in your life is due only to God’s presence and goodness?

 

Describe 1st century superstitions and the word which Paul speaks that confronts "a world with devils filled." replicate the form of the text, the two periods-the before and the after-by offering a testimony-personal, historical, or even secular-that reflects the two periods.

Or, draw from the addiction-recovery model . . . first before we can see our former lives as darkness, we much experience self-recognition and conversion. Second, no one can make the journey from a way of life that is marked by death to a new life on their own-it takes shared power: others and God to break the deadly patterns of an old life. speak of the end result, that God does all of this because God has prepared beforehand to be our way of life (2:10).

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[1] Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture VIII (InterVarsity, 1999), page 127.
[2] Serendipity Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Co., 1998), 247.